


Unsolved Case

by PanicAtTheVictoria



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Sacrifice Chloe timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 05:00:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7346029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PanicAtTheVictoria/pseuds/PanicAtTheVictoria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Victoria Chase is vulnerable after the tragic shooting in the girls bathroom. Who she thought was her best friend, was a murderer. Depressed and filled with self loathing she and Max begin to become close. Max's overuse of her powers are catching up to her...and Victoria wants the truth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm interested in exploring the repercussions of Max's powers and how long she harbor the truth. The damage of what the events on the game did to her and how Victoria can help.

The beeping of the machines in Max's hospital room frightened Victoria. The contrast of the white walls against the once colorful pink Max Caulfield frightened her. Victoria thought back to when she first found out about what happened in the bathroom.  
.......  
The hallway was filled with shrieks of terror. By the time Victoria reached the commotion, her eyes were glued to officer Madsen. He held a limp blue haired teenage girl. She recognized her. Chloe Price. An expelled Blackwell student. What Victoria hadn't expected to see come out of the bathroom next was her freckled rival. She also certainly didn't expect Nathan to appear later, being escorted in handcuffs.  
.....  
She remembered even further, when she broke down in front of Taylor and Courtney. They revealed to her that Nathan, her best friend of 10 years, was a murderer.  
....  
The blonde found all the breaking news stories that Mr. Jefferson was the mastermind and Nathan was just a mere puppet. Later, logging into her social media, she saw the posts on Max's profile. It was then revealed Chloe Price was Max's childhood best friend.  
......  
Nobody looked at Victoria when she appeared at the funeral. Well, nobody but Max. The brunette's gaze was haunting. Her eyes weren't the same as before, they seemed more sharp and aware. Experienced. This wasn't the same new girl from the beginning of the year.  
......

Victoria remembered the kindness Max offered her a week later.

"Victoria, I know you and I haven't been exactly friendly in the past, but if you ever need anything I'm here for you."  
The smaller girl handed her a box of cookies. It melted the Icy queen's heart. She expected Max to call her names or blame her for Nathan but she didn't. It made Victoria hate herself even more. What if she could of prevented all of this? She saw the strange behavior in Nathan, but she ignored her gut instinct.  
.....  
The memory Victoria really despised was Max toppled down to her knees in pain during one of the visits to her dorm. The pair had begun to truly gain a friendship, maybe even something more. Blood rushed from Max's nose onto Victoria.  
"Max, are you alright?!" She panicked.  
"It's nothing, just a headache." The blood nosed girl grunted in pain. Something didn't seem right to Victoria. In fact, she noticed the smaller girl shaking. That's when things went from bad to worse. Max's eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she started to have a seizure. Victoria had quickly grabbed her cell phone and dialed 9-1-1 requesting an ambulance.  
.....  
A hand touched the Blackwell queen's shoulder, bringing her back to reality in the hospital room. It was Kate. The timid girl brought a sick feeling in her stomach, guilt for how she treated her. Victoria did nothing to help Kate at that vortex party.  
"How're you holding up? I heard you've been here for hours by Max's side,"  
Victoria closed her eyes and signed. She felt that the kindness Kate brought upon her was undeserved.  
"You should get yourself some food and rest."  
Victoria nodded. The religious girl simply smiled at her. 

 

The doctor is baffled with Max. She is a mystery to the hospital staff caring for her. They ran tests to see what may be causing the headaches, blood loss and seizure, but nothing. With no history of bad health in the past they're all left with no answer. Max would wake up here and there, but she was incredibly weak. Finally after 3 days they released Max and Victoria rushed to her side. Victoria was determined to solve Max Caulfield.


	2. Consequence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max's time control powers are a curse. Victoria & Max both lost their best friends and grow closer to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the angst :,)

Max felt numb. She didn't know what to feel, sadness or anger? She couldn't muster either one. Her feelings for Chloe were buried alongside the blue haired punk on the day of the funeral. Their adventures, laughter, and kisses were erased. Chloe Price was erased. The next day whispers surrounded Max in the hallways of Blackwell.  
"Max was in there, she saw it happen..." A student murmured.  
The brunette ignored her fellow peers. What surprised her, was the appearance of the Blackwell Queen beside her locker. Her hazel eyes pierced through the freckled girl. Max throughout the timelines she jumped, grew familiar to those eyes. In fact, here in the corrected timeline, Victoria barely knew her. In the timeline she saved William, Victoria and she were depicted to be more than just photography rivals, the pair was romantically involved. Max also recalled the timeline she confronted Victoria. It was to her surprise that queen of Blackwell revealed an amount of envy to the photography rival, but this was also the same timeline that Victoria was captured and murdered by Jefferson. Max shivered at the thought and looked away from Victoria and continued walking.

...  
Max noticed Victoria's dark circles and puffy eyes in their shared science class. She didn't seem like her usual self, Max recognized the hardship of what Victoria must be going through. It was no secret that the student body found their new gossip aimed at the queen for her ties to Nathan. Even teachers begun to look at her, wondering how she could been around a monster, been friends with a killer. None of them knew Victoria's side of the situation, besides Max. She was the only individual who knew that Victoria in the past timeline believed Max about Nathan. How she choose Max's word over her problematic unstable best friend's. Max saw the good in the ice queen. 

....  
"Victoria, I know you and I haven't been exactly friendly in the past, but if you ever need anything I'm here for you."  
Max handed her a box of cookies. It was wrapped with a red bow, to look more gift like. Victoria was confused with shorter girl, once again she gazed at Max, trying to decipher her. It was only kindness.  
....  
It was Victoria who broke the ice between the two. The girls bathroom was deserted besides Max and Victoria. It was the weekend, and most of the dorm students went to their real homes in Acardia Bay or visited downtown for social outings.  
"Why do you even put effort into me hipster dork? You shouldn't be treating me like this, I'm the bitch who was friends with him," the queen felt tears forming,  
"You should hate me, like everyone else in this goddamm shit town."  
The queen broke down. Max retorted back at her.  
"Victoria, you weren't the one who pulled the trigger, and you're especially not the one to blame for any of this messed up shit. Mark Jefferson is the sick son of a bitch I hate with a passion. Not you."  
Max grabbed the taller girl's shoulders. Victoria was stunned. She had never heard Max raise her voice or even show that much emotion since the shooting. Max was no longer numb. She was boiling with rage.  
"Max-I'm sorry- I wish I could of prevented Nathan from doing all of this...why didn't I see him for who he was?" She no longer else back tears in front of Max.  
Max understood the question wasn't really aimed at her, it was for Victoria's own self. Victoria was scared of her own inaction. Ironically, Max was scared of her own direct actions. She messed with time and space, and because of that she has to deal with the consequences everyday. Chloe was dead. Rachel was dead. William was dead. She couldn't change that, but she did have to power to bring Victoria back.  
"We're not enemies." Max spoke softly pulling Victoria into a embrace. 

....  
Victoria and Max confided in each other. The queen of Blackwell opened up to the hipster. After school, opportunities of distracting each other with anime binge watching and music jam sessions occurred. They sometimes just lay in silence enjoying ones company while studying or doing homework. Taylor and Courtney didn't dare utter a word to Victoria about her new friendship with her past rival. They accepted it, to them it was a relief she was smiling again.  
....  
The blood was everywhere. Max felt sick like those times before when she abused her powers. Her vision blurred.  
"Max, are you alright?!" Victoria exclaimed.  
"It's nothing, just a headache."  
She lied. It was more than just a headache. It was her powers. Before she could smooth over the situation with Victoria, she blacked out.  
......  
Max's slumber in the hospital brought more than just dreams to her. She was developing a new power. It may as well be a nightmare for the ex time traveler. In her dreams, she was sent to other timelines she'd visited. Taking over the other Max who resided in that abandoned timeline. Her body remained asleep in the real timeline.


	3. Warm Welcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max has sloped into another timeline in her sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's admit it y'all, Maxine and Victoria were totally together in the saved William timeline.

Max appeared in her bed. She was in her dorm room but it wasn't the dorm room she was used too.  
"Ugh not again."  
This would be her second time slipping into a different timeline in her sleep at the hospital. The time traveler observed the room. She felt something warm next to her.  
"Maxine, darling you okay?"  
Max was greeted to a naked Victoria beside her. She then looked at herself and saw she was also nude. The realization sunk in. Max was in the timeline where she was "Maxine" the popular vortex member not Max the hipster. A blush went across her face, Max was a virgin barely even had kissing experience but Maxine was much more experienced in that subject plus more.  
"Oh yeah just fine um,"  
She struggled to find a pet name.  
"babe."  
Victoria snuggled up to Max.  
"'Babe' ha that's a new one."  
The intimacy brought a crimson coloring to Max's cheeks. Seeing the Blackwell queen like this was surreal, yes she'd become closer and bonded with Victoria in her timeline but not on this type of level. Victoria wrapped her arms around Max. Max was a small spoon. The blonde twirled Max's hair. After a solid minute of silence between the pair.  
"Maxine you seem off is something bothering you, is there anything I can help you with? Perhaps a round 2 from last night?" Victoria smirked.  
Max's eyes widen. She sprung herself up from the bed. This wasn't right. This wasn't her relationship it was Maxine's. It wasn't HER timeline. This was all overwhelming for Max.  
"I-um-I actually really need to use the restroom so," Max grabbed for Maxine's clothes on the floor and started to change.  
"I'll be back."  
Being finally fully clothed and holding onto to Maxine's cell phone, she rushed to the ladies room. Seeking for some answers.  
The phone had one new message.  
Joy: was going through some old stuff and found a picture of you and Chloe, I know it's been hard for you...just checking up on you Max feel free to stop by Two Whales for some waffles.  
Max continued to scroll down to older messages.  
Joy: Max she's passed away. Chloe died in her sleep. I knew the doctors said she didn't have much time but if you'd call me ASAP William and I want you to help with the funeral.  
Max's stomach felt queasy. She has successful given what Chloe wanted in this timeline. An escape from the pain.  
"No..no..dammit no. I don't want to be here."  
She wondered if this was the universe's way to make her suffer. All the time traveler wanted was to abandon this place just like she did the first time. Maxine was the one who belonged here not her, she was an invader. Max for the first time in weeks, cried. 

A pain crept on her body. She felt a sensation pulling her. She closed her eyes and awoke once again. But this time it was her hospital bed.  
"Max you're awake!"  
Kate Marsh exclaimed. She was back in her timeline.  
"Thank god." Max spoke softly.


	4. Obstacle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max wants to stop this new emerging power meanwhile Victoria in protective mode.

Max was released from the hospital and quite frankly she was happy to leave. She knew that a doctors knowledge of space time continuum powers and the after effects on a time traveler was most likely not their expertise. In the past, Chloe was the one she spoke to about her powers. The blue haired girl crossed her mind, and Max winced. Max Caulfield missed her. "Don't do it Max. You'll only upset yourself." She reminded herself. She grabbed her journal to distance herself from any thoughts about Chloe Price. Max documented her experiences in the hospital and her visits to different timelines. The thought of Maxine's dorm still made her feel flushed. The Victoria in her corrected timeline had given Max a ride home from the hospital. The car ride was filled with small talk and once they arrived at their destination, Max had politely uttered the words "Thank you Victoria."  
Making her way back to where she was right now, in the dorm theorizing about her powers.   
......  
Victoria tapped her foot impatiently in the dorm room. The Blackwell Queen was waiting for a certain freckled hipster to respond to her text. Max had been very distant with her on the car ride back to the dorms. Even with a tough exterior like Victoria's, inside she felt insecure.   
"Jesus, get yourself together." Victoria prep talked herself. But she couldn't help it, she felt a overwhelming amount of responsibility for the hipster teen.   
The cellphone's text tone went off.   
Max: don't worry about me Tori :) I just need some time to myself   
Victoria: well when u need something just let me know Caulfield  
Victoria huffed in annoyance. All she wanted was to help and be supporting, but she knew she could come off strong. Overprotective.   
.....  
Max knew Victoria just wanted to help, but this was a burden she couldn't bestow on their newly founded friendship. She saw the strain on Victoria at the hospital. The top priority right now was get the powers under control and stop the timeline hopping. The weird part that baffled Max was that she has, since the day of sealing Chloe's fate reframed from any usage of time powers.  
"So, why am I continuing to have headaches and bloody noses?"   
There was a big learning curve when for all you know, you were the only time traveler on the planet.  
....  
By evening, the time traveler was ready to test her theory on the timeline hopping. All Max had to do was fall asleep, leading her to the other timeline(s). Once she was there, she was going to mentally exit like she did with her picture time hoping. If it worked on that time power it's at least gotta do something on the new power. Once she conquered this obstacle, she could rest easy, literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for lack of chasefield interaction in this chapter. Next chapter will heavily have a focus on the two.


End file.
